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Two comprehensive mental health studies analysing the data of more than 450,000 new mothers have revealed some striking trends. These findings could have a significant impact on mental health treatment and public policy in Australia. Maternal mental health has been a heavily researched subject in recent years. It is widely known that postpartum depression affects up to 15 percent of women. What’s more, it is also now understood that poor physical health in early pregnancy is linked with poor mental health in the year following birth. However, there are still significant gaps in knowledge in this area. Firstly, researchers have queried the rate of hospital admissions for postpartum mental illness in Australia, as this was unknown. Secondly, the impact of physical ailments during pregnancy on the likelihood of developing postpartum depression had not been thoroughly investigated either.

Click here to watch our short video on mental health in mothers.